Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1968, Page 99

More on Faroese Bird Names
107
doubt about this etymology remained, since only lær, never
hnppur, is used of birds (FBN, 26f.). If, however, the use of
drunnur to form drunnhvíti (above) be any guide, then the
unexpected occurrence of huppur in the present case finds
its natural explanation as a creation of superstitious seamen.
Needless to say, the cormorant is known to have been involved
in the usual taboos. Sinoe hyplingur wais undoubtedly in
use in the Viking Age, we again observe that such practices
are ancient.
Kolont
ln FBN, 9, I inoorrectly described M. á Ryggi’s kolont
‘common scoter’ lit. ‘coal duck’ as uniquely Faroese. This name
must, however, have been inspired by Dan. kuland ‘do.’, an
aiternative to sortand lit. ‘blaok duck’. Scoters are always
named after their striking dark plumage, also e. g. Ic. hrafns-
ónd ‘raven duck’, Scots Gael. lacha dhubh ‘bladk duck’, Eng.
dial. black diver — Standard Eng. scoter must therefore be a
scribal or printing error for sooter, cf. one of the German
names Rufiente ‘soot duok’, a conclusion which has so far
escaped tthe etymologisers.
Reyðhani
The use of the term reyðhani ‘red cock’ to denote the sun
was recorded in FBN, 88, and reference made to its ultimate
connection with tthe concept expressed in the Danish idiom
lade den røde hane gale over (= set fire to) ens hus, with a
parallel in German. It would have been appropriate to have
mentioned that this idiom was also naturalised in Faroese,
cf. J. Jakobsen, Sagnir og Ævintýr, 38: hann .... lovaði, at
reyður hani skuldi gala yvir Neystagarð.
Rusk
The term rusk lit. ‘rubbish, dirt’ has been reported from
Elduvík as a seaman’s noa word for the eider duok, FBN 82.
The motivation of the name, ihowever, remained unexplained.